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A Baltimore mother is demanding answers about how her son’s request for help from a police officer during a mental health crisis ended in his death hours later at a hospital.

The Independent Investigations Division of the Maryland Attorney General’s Office released a preliminary report about the in-custody death of 31-year-old Dontae Melton on June 24.

Dontae Melton (far right) wound up dead hours after asking police for help. (Credit: Baltimore Beat/Family Photo)

According to the report, Melton approached an officer at 9:40 p.m. that night as the cop was sitting in his police cruiser, stopped at a traffic light at an intersection.

Investigators noted Melton appeared to be suffering a mental health crisis. He repeatedly walked in the middle of the road several times as the officer was trying to speak to him.

WJZ Investigates and Baltimore Beat obtained recordings of the cop’s call into dispatch.

“I’ve got a gentleman pulling on my doors asking for help,” the officer said on dispatch audio. “But he doesn’t look like he needs help.”

The cop later relayed to dispatchers that Melton appeared to be suffering a mental health crisis.

The IID report states that the officer tried to restrain Melton for his own safety. When backup arrived, officers placed him in handcuffs and leg restraints.

The responding officers then called in an emergency medical team, but medics never showed.

Police called for medics at least twice, but dispatch audio revealed that Baltimore’s computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system, which maintains a line between police and fire units, went down during Melton’s crisis.

While they waited for EMS teams to show, Melton became unresponsive. Police waited until 10:30 p.m. before deciding to rush Melton to the hospital themselves.

At 3 a.m. on June 25, the 31-year-old was pronounced dead. Authorities have not released the cause of death yet.

Melton’s mother, Eleshia Goode, said that her son was struggling with seizures and a mood disorder and began using drugs to self-medicate. She said he checked himself into rehab seven times in the last 10 years, according to Baltimore Beat.

“When he was on his meds, he was better than when he was off,” Goode said. “When he was off, it was difficult for him—difficult in the sense that it seems like he was just battling something all the time within his mind, and that’s when the drug use entered.”

Shortly before he died, Goode noticed that Melton’s behavior was worsening.

Just one day before his death, she filed a petition for a protective order, which would notify police that her son was struggling with mental health issues.

A judge denied the petition because of Melton’s substance abuse issues.

“I stood in front of the judge in that courtroom with all those people there, and I said, ‘Listen. … I’m telling you, yes, he has a drug problem — and yes and everything else — but what I’m saying to you, judge, is this time it’s different,'” Goode said. “I was trying to follow the proper channels to have him evaluated or at least pulled off the street. That was the thing. And I was denied.”

When police made multiple calls for medics, the CAD system reportedly went down for eight minutes. According to Baltimore City Mayor Brandon Scott, the city is now investigating what happened when the dispatch system failed during Melton’s crisis and whether any backup systems were used.

“That’s beyond frustrating to know that a system failed — that, according to what I’m reading, the medics never got the call. To know that people waited around for the medics to get the call, and maybe I’m sounding too simple, but could they have just picked up the phone and called someone?” Goode asked. “What was the backup system? Was it in place? Was it followed? I have so many questions.”

Goode said while Melton and her family have had positive and helpful encounters with police before, this time was different. She noted too many gaps in the account of the police response to her late son’s mental crisis that need to be addressed.

“They didn’t give me any information on what happened within those eight minutes when he pulled on a police officer’s door, and then he was in shackles and handcuffs according to the 911 report, so I don’t know anything,” Goode said. “I don’t know when he went to the hospital. I don’t know what kind of condition he was in. Obviously, I don’t know what he died from. I don’t know anything, and I’m very frustrated. And I understand these types of investigations take time, but there are so many missing pieces.”

Authorities stated that they will release the identities of the officers involved as well as the body camera footage showing the encounter.

Melton leaves behind two children — a 13-year-old son and an 11-year-old daughter.

‘Beyond Frustrating’: Black Baltimore Man Asked Police for Help. Instead, They Restrained Him with Shackles and Waited as Medics Took 8 Minutes to Respond — He Died Hours Later

This is a story that will surprise no one: President Donald Trump’s Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, the youngest press secretary in U.S. history at just 27, has been a MAGA groupie and sycophant of Trump’s since she was a teenager.

The online website The List recently unearthed an archived video of Leavitt at a “Pancakes and Politics” town hall in 2016, when she was an 18-year-old freshman at St. Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire. Before she even got to her question at the event, she heaped praise on then-candidate Trump.

President Donald Trump is seen on a monitor watching footage of military strikes on Yemen’s Houthi rebels, as Karoline Leavitt, White House press secretary, conducts a press briefing on Monday, March 17, 2025. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)

“Mr. Trump, as everyone knows and as I personally appreciate, you’re very honest and outspoken about a lot of different things,” Leavitt gushed. “As my father would say, you call a spade a spade, however many people criticize you for this saying you’re merciless, ruthless, cold-hearted,” she continued.

“What would you like to say to people who think you’re too harsh to be the next president of the United States?”

Trump gushed back at Leavitt. “It’s such a great question, and I had a woman the other day say, ‘Mr. Trump, I love you. I’m voting for you, but are you a nice enough person to be President?’ I said, ‘You know what, I really am a nice person. I give tremendous amounts of money away. I love to help people. I love people.’ And you see from upstairs how many people showed up to see me. It’s not going to be this time about niceness. It’s going to be about competence,” Trump replied.

Also, while attending St. Anselm, Leavitt penned a piece for “The St. Anselm Crier” praising Trump while dissing left-leaning media outlets, according to The List.

“Say what you want about Donald Trump. He is certainly not perfect, but he is without question running against not only a crooked candidate but the crooked and biased media as well,” Leavitt wrote, referring to former Democratic presidential candidate and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. “The liberal media is unjust, unfair, and sometimes just plain old false.”

These words would become something the older Leavitt would repeat over and over, and now from behind the podium in the White House briefing room.

In fact, it was Trump who inspired a young Leavitt to enter politics in the first place.

The MAGA Republican ran for office at 23 in New Hampshire’s first Congressional District, just a few years after graduating from St. Anselm. As one of the first Gen Z congressional candidates, she lost that election amid a crowded field of more veteran politicians.

She was actually an old hand at the White House before she even embarked on that congressional campaign. She had turned an internship in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building mailroom during Trump’s first term into a stint as assistant press secretary. In that role, according to Politico, Leavitt said she fought “against the biased mainstream media.”

In 2020, after Trump lost re-election, she worked as communications director for New York Rep. Elise Stefanik.

And now she’s putting all that experience and long admiration of Trump to work as the face of the White House.

‘Mr. Trump, I Love You’: Video Exposes Trump’s Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt’s Teenage Obsession. Now She’s His Mouthpiece at the White House

Supermodel Heidi Klum has given fans a rare glimpse at her in mommy mode on social media.

The former Victoria’s Secret bombshell seldom shares snippets of her children online, but on the Fourth of July she was beaming with too much joy to keep her not-so-little offspring to herself. 

Klum, 52, posted an image of her sandwiched between sons Henry, 19, and Johan, 18. She smiled like a Cheshire Cat with an arm wrapped around the waist of each of the young men. The older one flashed a smile, while his younger brother kept it cool, opting to wear sunglasses with just a hint of a grin. 

Heidi Klum forced to block out criticism after posting photo of two sons she shares with ex-husband, Seal. (Photo: @heidiklum/Instagram)

The fashion superstar disabled comments on her Instagram posts months ago, but the image has been circulated online, leaving room for reactions to roll in.

“How tall are those young men?! Heidi being a model is tall and she looks short next to her sons! Great picture!” gushed one fan. Klum is 5 feet 9 but is several inches shorter than her sons.

Among the others are remarks about which parent the boys most resemble. At first, one person exclaimed, “Wow they look nothing like her.” Shortly after the birth of Johan, Klum acknowledged that her genes had not done much to contribute to her younger son’s handsome face. 

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A post shared by Heidi Klum (@heidiklum)

She told People. “Everyone who sees him says, ‘Oh my God, he looks just like Seal.’ And I’m like, ‘He has nothing of me? C’mon, there must be something of me in there somewhere.’ And they’re like, ‘No, sorry, he looks just like his father.’” 

A second perspective echoed that very sentiment. It read, “The one in pink looks like a light skinned seal with dreadlocks.”

The model shares the towering gentlemen and daughter Lou, 15, with ex-husband Seal. The singer also adopted Klum’s firstborn, 21-year-old daughter Leni, when they were married from 2005 to 2012. The pair’s divorce was finalized in 2014.

Critics also weighed in on the family moment on Page Six’s website. One positive commentator wrote, “They are all from Seal except Leni. Good looking kids just like her Mom and Seal. Don’t know who Leni’s Dad is, but Leni’s already modeling.”

All of their children are stunning! https://t.co/BazB0ZcecF

— Lavender Brown (@PhillyAlwayz) May 28, 2025

Meanwhile, a detractor critically called out the mother for parading in her undergarments “in public, especially if she were desperate for publicity. How embarrassing for them.”

Klum infamously came under fire for posing with Leni for a 2024 Intimissimi lingerie campaign. The mother-daughter duo teamed up with the brand again for a second photoshoot revealed in April 2025.

‘How Embarrassing’: Heidi Klum Forced to Limit Her Comments on Rare Photo with Sons After Backlash from Racy Photos with Daughter 

Brittany Glover, a 33-year-old Black woman, had just moved to Atlanta for a new job as a flight attendant when she was killed by a hit-and-run driver three years ago.

But despite dozens of potential witnesses in the area, including at least two Atlanta cops, police have made no attempt to investigate the case, said her mother, Valerie Handy-Carey, who has been fighting for justice for her daughter ever since.

All she knows is that a witness told her it was possibly a green jeep that struck her daughter that ended up with a shattered windshield. 

Brittany Glover (left) was killed in 2022 by a hit-and-run driver in Atlanta but local police have not done much to find the driver who struck her. But her mother, Valerie Handy-Carey (right), has not stopped seeking justice since then. (Photo: Handy-Carey)

But the Atlanta police officer who responded to the scene told her that it was possibly a red jeep or a white sedan but he also told her they did not have the resources to investigate further.

And when she asked police about the security cameras on the light posts along the street that would likely have recorded the hit-and-run, police said those cameras only record in real time and do not have the ability to preserve recordings – defeating the purpose of having those cameras there in the first place.

“For all I know, it could have been an Atlanta police officer that ran over my daughter as to why they’re not trying to solve her case,” Handy-Carey said in an exclusive interview with Atlanta Black Star. 

“Or the person that killed her has already killed somebody before or has the opportunity to kill again because they haven’t done anything to arrest them.”

Police Refuse to Help

The incident took place on Sept. 19, 2022, at around 2:30 a.m. after Glover had just left an entertainment venue called The Bonfire which at that time was located near the intersections of Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway and Finley Avenue. People were leaving the venue and there were at least two Atlanta police officers working off-duty as security guards.

Hollowell Parkway is a state-owned highway that happens to be one of the most dangerous street for pedestrians in the city, according to a Georgia law firm.

Handy-Carey received the call a few hours later and immediately booked a flight from Ohio to Atlanta, arriving at the scene of the hit-and-run by 8 a.m.

But by then, city officials had already removed all evidence from the crime and it looked as if nothing had happened. Not even a single officer was on the scene.

Then when she went to a local police station to obtain more information, the Black cop at the front desk said he knew nothing about the incident but called a supervisor, placing him on speakerphone so she could hear the conversation. 

“He calls his supervisor and said, ‘there’s a lady here. She said her daughter was killed. Her name is Brittany Glover,’” Handy-Carey recalled.

“The supervisor, who sounded white, said, ‘Well, what the hell does she want us to do about it?’”

“I don’t know if he knew we were on speaker or what but even if we weren’t, the callousness, the coldness, that he didn’t even care. And he had the audacity to say that?” Handy-Carey said.

“And I said, ‘If it was a white woman, he would never have said that.’”

When she received the initial police report, it contained no relevant information, she said. 

“There were no names of witnesses that the officer talked to. They didn’t even take written statements from the officers working that night at the Bonfire.”

“And I never got the crime scene photos or the (body camera) videos from police.”

Tracking Down Witnesses

Handy-Carey, who just turned 60 last month, began conducting her own research, passing out flyers in the condominiums in the area, asking if anybody had seen anything.

“When we were passing out flyers, this young man that worked for the Bonfire said that after Brittany was hit, an officer ran out and tried to get the license plate off the car and prevent other cars from hitting Brittany but that’s not in the police report. Why isn’t it?”

The young man told her it was a green jeep that struck her daughter, ending up with a shattered windshield, but when she mentioned that to Atlanta Police Sgt. Hatfield, who was handling the investigation, he said witnesses had told him it was a red jeep or a white sedan.

But she said police made no attempt to track down a jeep with a shattered windshield at local body shops or even government databases.

“I told him, ‘there are only so many red jeeps and only so many green jeeps. Why can’t you call the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles)?”

“He told me they don’t have the resources to do that,” she said.

“And I’m like, ‘You could if you wanted to, if I was some famous person.’ I told them, ‘If Brittany was Governor Kemp’s daughter or if she was (Atlanta) Mayor Andre Dickens’ daughter, you would move hell and high water to find out who did it.’”

“The same way they did when (former Atlanta Mayor) Keisha Lance Bottoms’ nephew was killed, they moved the land to find who did it.”

“And it shouldn’t have to be that way, a life is a life. Her life mattered to me and her brother and her family. It shouldn’t have to happen to somebody with status for the law to do their job and hold people accountable,” Handy-Carey explained.

She also brought up the case in Idaho where recently convicted murderer Bryan Kohberger was arrested for killing four college students after a camera spotted a white Hyundai Sonata.

“They said that there were 22,000 white Hyundai Sonatas that fit his description but they found the person,” she said.

But when Handy-Carey persisted in getting Hatfield to investigate, he told her he didn’t follow through with interviewing witnesses because of “conflicting stories.”

Sgt. Hatfield has since retired, and Atlanta police told local media the case is currently in “inactivated status due to inconclusive leads in the investigation.”

But Handy-Carey said they never bothered to chase any leads in the first place because her case was not considered high profile.

Demanding Accountability from City Council

After getting nowhere with police, Handy-Carey has been trying to convince the city council to add safety measures at that intersection, including crosswalks, lights, lower speed limits and cameras that actually record, but she has been met only with empty promises.

She points out that the neighborhood where her daughter was killed is predominantly Black and believes that played a factor in her daughter’s death.

“For me, vehicular homicide and violence is a health crisis in the Black and Brown communities because most of those communities have state highways going through them,” she said.

“How are you going to put a three or four lane highway in there and not put sufficient safety measures in there for pedestrians? Not only are people walking but there are cyclists. And what about the blind man who has to count his steps and walk across the street or the person in the wheelchair?”

“If you look it up, Black and Brown communities are disproportionately affected by these dangerous designs.”

The city council also offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the driver, but nobody has come forward with information. 

“I asked them, ‘how many more people have to die before you make this a priority’ because there have been several people who have died since then,” she said.

She said police have tried to pin the blame for the deadly incident on her daughter by claiming she did not cross Hollowell Parkway at a crosswalk  – but there was no crosswalk at the time and there still isn’t a crosswalk in that intersection.

“(Hollowell Parkway) is the fifth deadliest street in Atlanta, and that didn’t happen overnight,” she said. “So how dare you try to discredit and blame my daughter for your lack of leadership.”

‘If It Was a White Woman’: Atlanta Police Blame ‘Lack of Resources’ for Failing to Investigate Black Woman’s Hit-and-Run — Her Mother Says the Excuses Don’t Add Up

A Georgia law enforcement officer decided to take a government-issued vehicle out for a night on the town, and now she is facing serious charges.

Alexis Latrice Friendly, 27, reportedly caused a multi-car crash on the Fourth of July while allegedly driving drunk in a state vehicle. The crash shut down a major stretch of Georgia’s I-20 for hours and left at least one person seriously injured.

Officer Alexis Friendly was arrested after disastrous accident while allegedly driving drunk in state issued vehicle. (Credit: Douglas County Sheriff’s Office/11 Alive Video Screengrab)

The incident happened just before midnight, about 22 miles outside of Atlanta, in Douglas County.

Friendly, a parole and probation officer with the Georgia Department of Community Supervision, was behind the wheel of a state-owned Ford Explorer when she rear-ended a Toyota Corolla on I-20 East near Fairburn Road, according to the Georgia State Patrol.

The driver of the Corolla suffered serious injuries and was later airlifted to Kennestone Hospital.

The impact caused both vehicles to spin out, according to the crash report. Friendly’s SUV then hit a Mitsubishi Outlander in a neighboring lane and a Lexus parked on the left shoulder. All eastbound lanes were shut down for several hours overnight as troopers investigated and cleaned up the scene.

LaJoyce Harris, one of the many drivers caught in the standstill, said the wait lasted over six hours.

“People ended up getting out, turning all their cars off, all their lights off, and sitting in the street… lying down, going to sleep,” she recalled.

When Harris found out a law enforcement officer was allegedly responsible, she said, “It’s probably going to weigh hard on them. The families that are affected by this, no one wants to be celebrating freedom, and now you don’t have any freedom.”

Troopers determined Friendly was under the influence and arrested her at the scene. She was taken to a hospital with minor injuries before being booked into jail. She’s facing several charges, including DUI, serious injury by vehicle, speeding, failure to maintain lane, following too closely, and not wearing a seatbelt. As of now, she remains in jail without bond.

The Georgia Department of Community Supervision released a statement confirming Friendly’s arrest:

“The Georgia Department of Community Supervision (DCS) is aware of the arrest of Community Supervision Officer Alexis Friendly, accused of driving under the influence while operating a state vehicle. Our Department acts swiftly and decisively to remove an officer from public safety duties when it is alleged that they have acted in a manner that negatively impacts the public safety mission of the Department. Upon learning of the arrest, the officer was immediately suspended,” said DCS Public Relations Manager Jamelle Washington.

The department said the case remains under investigation.

Local news coverage of the multi-vehicle accident spurred several comments from viewers who felt little sympathy for Friendly.

One viewer wrote in all caps, “SHE SHOULD BE CHARGED FOR EVERYONE INJURED AND SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE PAROLE OFFICE. SHE’S A HORRIBLE PERSON AND HORRIBLE REFLECTION ON OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND PAROLE OFFICERS.”

Another added, “”Do as I say but not as I do”…….The hypocrisy is flat out intolerable at this point.”

‘Flat Out Intolerable’: A Georgia Officer’s Outrageous Decision Shuts Down Highway for Over Six Hours, Forcing People to Sleep In the Street — Now She’s In Serious Trouble

A video recently posted to social media showed a heated confrontation in a Memphis Walmart parking lot after a white woman accused a Black teenager of stealing her wallet, denying that her accusation was racially motivated, but saying he “looked guilty.”

The boy’s mother, Penny Thompson, posted the video to her TikTok page.

The clip shows Thompson and the woman in the middle of an argument over the theft accusation as two Walmart employees stand by and watch.

Video screenshots show a confrontation between two women in a Walmart parking lot. (Photos: TikTok screenshots/PennyThompson1983)

Thompson asks the workers to check the store’s surveillance cameras to prove her 15-year-old son didn’t steal anything, while accusing the woman of making racially motivated allegations.

The woman insists that her accusation has nothing to do with skin color, but provides no evidence proving that the teen stole the wallet.

“I don’t care what color you are, he looked guilty!” the woman yells.

“Guilty of what?!” Thompson shouts.

The woman then tells a man in a truck that she’s waiting for Thompson to hit her.

Thompson tells the woman to go home, then addresses the store employees, asking them to intervene and stop the harassment.

One worker merely tells Johnson to put her items away.

“Why are they harassing me, though?” Thompson asks.

“Uh, that, I have no idea,” the employee responds, before walking over to the woman to question her.

The back-and-forth continues, and Thompson continues to hurl heated barbs. But the woman continues to assert that the boy is a thief.

“You can act like it’s because you’re Black, but it’s not. He knows he’s guilty,” the woman states.

At that point, the teen interjects and accuses the woman of rage-baiting. The video ends after the woman is heard reciting the letters on the license plate of a car belonging to Thompson and her son.

It’s unclear how the incident ended, but Thompson confirmed that the woman called the police.

In one comment posted under the video, she also criticized the store employees who responded to the situation, stating they could have done more to help.

“We were just shopping and harassed. We got a 55 in tv no body even helped us until that Karen started showing out then we had an entire audience in the parking lot,” Thompson wrote. “It’s a criminal offense to make false police report those employees could have help a lot more.”

‘He Looked Guilty!’: White Woman Falsely Accuses Black Teen of Stealing Her Wallet at Memphis Walmart Then Denies She Is Racially Motivated

A new post of Karoline Leavitt’s husband has fans doing a double take. 

The White House press secretary recently shared a photographic recap of her family’s Fourth of July weekend on Instagram. Leavitt’s July 7 post had seven pictures in the carousel — four of which included her spouse, Nicholas Riccio.

From the looks of it, they had quite an eventful holiday weekend with their 11-month-old-son, Niko. But, similarly to her previous family photos, Riccio became a focal point in the comment section accompanying the post. 

Karoline Leavitt’s husband makes fans do a double take in new Fourth of July photos. (Photo: @karolineleavitt/Instagram)

One person wrote, “He looks black from behind. Then I thought wait a minute, she’s not faithful after all. Then I saw other pictures. I bet she loves black men though.”

The first photo — which was taken from behind — showed Leavitt holding her son on her hip while walking hand-in-hand with her husband. 

Another fan wrote, “Your dad is so handsome.”

But other fans continued with their running jokes about Leavitt and Riccio’s age gap. Riccio is 60 years old, while Leavitt is 27 — which also makes her the youngest White House press secretary in history. Due to Leavitt’s role in the political space, criticism and scrutiny are inescapable, and people often take jabs at her by mentioning the more than 30-year age gap between her and her husband. 

One person said, “You spend a lot of time with your grandad.”

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A post shared by KAROLINE LEAVITT (@karolineleavitt)

Leavitt was shown attending a baseball game with her son in the second and third photos. Her husband was nowhere to be found in those images but President Donald Trump’s Special Assistant and Communications Advisor, Margo Martin, accompanied her. 

In the fourth and sixth photos, Riccio appeared again — this time sharing some one-on-one time with his son, as they were the only two in frame. The fifth image showed the parents posing together on the beach without their son. Nicholas Jr. later reappeared in the seventh photo, featured solo while sitting on the sand.

In the fourth and sixth pictures, Riccio appeared again, this time with his son were the only ones seen in frame spending some daddy-son time together. In the fifth photo, the parents got their own photos without their son in it on the beach. But their son, Nicholas Jr., reappeared in the seventh photo in a solo shot sitting on beach sand. 

For the caption Leavitt wrote, “Best weekend of the year celebrating the best country in the world.” 

After viewing all the images, fans had more to say, particularly about her caked on makeup. “Ease up on the lipstick,” wrote one person. Another said, “Damn girl, gonna fix the upper lipstick application.”

A third noted, “Why is your lipstick always around your mouth? Don’t you think you pass your lips boarders?”

Since taking on the role as Trump’s press secretary, Leavitt has been pretty good about ignoring the jokes and gibes about her marriage. 

She also addressed the elephant in the room head on during her February interview on “The Megyn Kelly Show.” 

“It’s a very atypical love story,” she said, “but he’s incredible. He is my greatest supporter. He’s my best friend. He’s my rock.” 

Leavitt and Riccio met in 2022 during her congressional campaign to represent the New Hampshire 1st District. The next year they got engaged in December and in January 2025 they tied the knot. 

‘Fix the Upper Lipstick Application’: Trump’s Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt Warned to ‘Ease Up’ on the Makeup After Sharing New Family Photos

Anthony Sanders would likely be alive today if he hadn’t confronted a young driver who blocked his exit from a Houston parking garage a month ago.

The 30-year-old Marine veteran had just picked up his fiancée and 10-month-old son from the Houston Galleria, where she worked. They were trying to leave the Orange parking garage on June 3 when two men blocked their car. Sanders stepped out to confront them —and seconds later, he was shot 10 times and killed.

Justin Guzman, left, was accused of shooting and killing Anthony Sanders, right. (Photos: Houston Police Department, Facebook/Ronyel Sanders)

A month later, two men — 22-year-old Justin Guzman and 23-year-old Marko Cinan — are facing murder charges in his death. One of them was arrested; the other suspect turned himself in last week.

“We’re here today because we just want justice for our son,” said Sanders’ mother, Ronyel Sanders. “Anthony passed away protecting his son and his fiancée. That’s what he does.”

In the days after the shooting, Sanders’ mother came across a video on TikTok that made her stomach turn. It featured Guzman dancing to hip-hop music while news clips of the shooting played in the background.

She immediately sent the video to prosecutors.

“They’re mocking my son’s death,” she said.

Her husband, Frank Sanders, said the family will keep speaking out — not just for justice, but to raise awareness.

“We are here for justice, just for Anthony,” he said. “And also to stand for what he stood for as a person, and also to bring awareness to what’s going on in today’s society here in Houston alone.”

Investigators learned the shooting had been preceded by an earlier encounter inside the Galleria, when Sanders’ fiancée was reportedly confronted by a group of men inside an elevator as she made her way out. Fearing for her safety, she called Sanders and relayed what had just happened. Sanders was already on the way to pick her up. Once they met up, she pointed out the men in the parking garage. Words were exchanged as both parties got in their cars to leave. 

Moments later, as Sanders tried to pull off, Cinan “brake-checked” his car, forcing Sanders to slam the brakes. Sanders was furious. He threw the car in park and got out to confront the other driver. At that point, police alleged, both Guzman and Cinan opened fire — dropping Sanders to the pavement. The muzzle blasts continued as the car sped away, police said.

Sanders was killed instantly. Police said he was unarmed. 

After catching up with one of the suspects, police found a gun inside Guzman’s car with 10 unspent rounds in a high-capacity clip. 

During the recent preliminary hearing, Guzman’s attorney, Romy Kaplan, claimed Sanders was the one who escalated the situation. He maintains that Guzman acted in self-defense, telling reporters that Sanders was “the aggressor” and had walked toward Guzman with a knife. 

“It’s a clear-cut case of self-defense,” Kaplan said. “What happened shouldn’t have happened. There’s no doubt that somebody lost their life, but Justin Guzman did not provoke this encounter.”

However, prosecutors do not accept this claim, while investigators maintain that Sanders did not have a weapon before he was shot.

Kaplan added that Sanders had followed Guzman’s vehicle closely and was “continuing to provoke the situation that they’re dealing with.”

Guzman turned himself in on June 30, getting out of an Uber outside the Harris County Joint Processing Center with his lawyer at his side. His bond was set at $750,000, and he’s due back in court Wednesday. Cinan was arrested last week and remains jailed on a $1 million bond.

‘Mocking My Son’s Death’: TikTok Creator Mocked Marine’s Murder with Dancing Video After Gunning Him Down In Front of Fiancée and Baby, Sparking Outrage

Tiger Woods has found love again with Vanessa Trump, Donald Trump Jr.’s ex-wife. The golf legend and the former model have been discreetly dating since November 2024, and things are getting serious fast. But when news broke about how happy Vanessa reportedly is, fans had plenty to say about her past.

Vanessa and Tiger’s romance was made public in March, and now Page Six’s sources say the couple, who have been dating for less than nine months, is considering marriage.

Tiger Woods’ new romance with Donald Trump Jr.’s ex-wife, Vanessa, sparks frenzy online. (Photos by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images; Grant Lamos IV/Getty Images)

“They’re very serious,” the alleged insider told the outlet, adding, “Wedding bells serious.”

The alleged insider wouldn’t say if an engagement is actually happening, but they couldn’t stop talking about how happy Vanessa appears to be.

“She’s so happy! She’s finally found happiness. She’s found happiness for the first time in her life,” the contact gushed.

That comment about Vanessa finding happiness “for the first time” didn’t go over well with fans online. In the comment section of the New York Post’s Instagram page, many quickly pointed out the obvious problem.

“I find it funny she probably said that exact thing with her first marriage!” one person wrote. The comment struck a chord, considering Vanessa was married to Don Jr. for 12 years and shares five children with him.

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When one person commented that it was sad Vanessa “never had happiness” before Tiger, another fired back, “Right? But she had five kids with Don Jr.”

Woods also has two children with his ex-wife Elin Nordegren, whom he was married to for six years.

Still, some online are on the fence about the pro golfer and Donald Trump’s former daughter-in-law- tying the knot. “Who would willingly marry into that family?” wrote one person, while another joked, “Yes! Put some Black in their bloodline Tiger.”

The relationship between Tiger, 49, and Vanessa, 47, started slow but picked up speed quickly.

A second source described their early relationship as “not too serious,” but noted that it seemed to be “heading” in a good direction following their shared experience with fame.

“They have a lot in common. They’ve both gotten used to public scrutiny,” the insider said. “They both know how to keep their private life private. They’re both parents.”

Tiger’s romantic history also became part of the conversation on the Post’s Instagram. His messy divorce from Elin Nordegren in 2010 was front and center in people’s minds.

“Married to Tiger Woods wow that sounds perfect, ask first wife,” one person wrote, clearly remembering how that marriage ended.

Another fan was more direct with their warning: “Tiger’s ex wife broke a windshield during an argument with the Golf legend! Be careful Venessa!”

In 2009, Tiger Woods was involved in a car accident near his Florida home when his SUV struck a fire hydrant and then a tree. According to reports, his then-wife Elin Nordegren used a 9-iron golf club to break the window and help him exit the locked vehicle. Around that time, Elin reportedly discovered Tiger Woods was cheating, which contributed to the end of their marriage.

Despite all the online criticism, the couple seems to be moving forward.

Vanessa is said to be spending a lot of time at Tiger’s $40 million mansion in Florida. She has security codes and treats the place like her own home. The setup makes sense because they both live in Palm Beach, just 20 minutes apart.

Their kids also go to the same expensive private school, The Benjamin School. Tiger’s children, Charlie and Sam, are actually classmates with Vanessa’s oldest daughter, Kai. This connection through their kids helped bring them closer together.

What’s interesting is how Don Jr. has handled his ex-wife’s new relationship.

Alleged insiders have said he’s “fully supportive” of Vanessa and Tiger being together and has also moved on with a new girlfriend, West Palm Beach socialite Bettina Anderson.

As Tiger and Vanessa continue their relationship, they’re dealing with fans who question everything from her happiness claims to his ability to stay faithful. But the couple seems focused on their future together, regardless of what critics say about their past relationships. Whether this is truly Vanessa’s first real happiness or just her latest chapter, only time will tell.

‘Put Some Black In Their Bloodline’: Tiger Woods’ Romance with Vanessa Trump Has Fans Saying He’s Mixing Things Up in the Family Tree

While grieving families searched for missing children and braced for more deaths amid historic flooding in Texas, President Donald Trump spent part of his Fourth of July golfing alongside Canadian baseball legend Larry Walker.

Walker, one of only two Canadians in the National Baseball Hall of Fame, posted a photo of himself and Trump on social media, with the president wearing a red “Make America Great Again” hat.

The post landed just as rescue crews in central Texas were still combing through floodwaters, searching for the missing and confirming the dead—sparking outrage online. The death toll from the disaster has now climbed to at least 82, including 27 children and one counselor, after flash floods ripped through Kerr County and other parts of the state on Independence Day.

U.S. President Donald Trump and baseball Hall of Famer Larry Walker (Photo: X/Larry Walker)

Many of the children were likely asleep on the riverbank when the floodwaters surged in before sunrise, giving them little chance to escape before being swept away, reports said.

By the time Walker shared the image of himself with Trump, officials had already confirmed multiple fatalities, and Camp Mystic—an all-girls camp near the Guadalupe River—later announced that 10 campers remained unaccounted for. Emergency workers had rescued dozens more and were preparing to evacuate survivors once roadways reopened.

The reaction from Trump’s critics on social media was swift and brutal.

“20 Children in the United States got washed away by a horrific flash flood in Texas today. And what did Donald Trump do? Of course, he went to play Golf,” one person wrote in a post that shared a photo of Trump on his way to the green in the presidential limo.

20 Children in the United States got washed away by a horrific flash flood in Texas today.

And what did Donald Trump do?

Of course, he went to play Golf. pic.twitter.com/vFkAcxLwUf

— Bricktop_NAFO (@Bricktop_NAFO) July 5, 2025

“Trump’s callous decision to hit the golf course while 20 children drown in Texas floodwaters exposes his utter disregard for American lives, proving once again he’s unfit to lead,” wrote another critic.

Thoughts, prayers, and tee times.

— Guru Saap (@GuruSaap) July 7, 2025

The president’s supporters weren’t far behind. One simply stated, “this is sick.”

One person wrote, “So wait, in your mind, a president should always be there for every single death in a country with hundreds of millions of people? Damn you leftists have lost complete touch with any form or reality or normality.”

Another had a lofty idea of what takes place on the golf course, “If you actually understood how much he can get accomplished in a round of golf you’d take back your snarky posted comment. Presidents have all done it. You know why? I’ll tell ya secret. One it keeps them healthy and two no one can hear things that need to be discussed.”

By Sunday, Trump had signed a federal disaster declaration and said he would visit the affected areas on Friday. But his appearance on the golf course in the middle drew criticism from some Texans who questioned the timing.

The moment cast Trump as being indifferent amid one of the deadliest natural disasters in recent memory. 

More than a month’s worth of rain fell in just a few hours in places like Kerr County and San Angelo, sweeping away homes, roads, and vehicles — and leaving entire summer camps submerged.

“This happened at night when people were asleep in bed,” Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring Jr. said at a press conference. “Please pray for our community.”

The flooding began shortly before sunrise on July 4 when officials in Kerr County started evacuating residents near the Guadalupe River in Hunt. Between 6 and 7 inches of rain had fallen overnight, with more expected by 7 a.m., prompting the National Weather Service to declare a “particularly dangerous situation,” warning of life-threatening flash floods, according to reports. Just three hours later, the Kerr County Sheriff’s Office confirmed “multiple fatalities” and launched dozens of rescue missions by boat and air.

“The entire county is an extremely active scene,” the sheriff’s office said. “Residents are encouraged to shelter in place and not attempt travel. Those near creeks, streams, and the Guadalupe River should immediately move to higher ground.”

Among the most wrenching scenes unfolded at Camp Mystic, where the flood knocked out power, water, and internet access. In a message to parents, camp staff tried to offer reassurance—saying that unless they had been contacted directly, their child was safe. But with communication lines down and the highway washed out, many parents were left agonizing, fearing the worst and bracing for the unthinkable—that their daughters might never make it home.

“The highway has washed away, so we are struggling to get more help,” the camp said in a statement.

By midafternoon, officials had confirmed 13 deaths. Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said evacuations were underway at several camps in the region and noted that about 23 children from Camp Mystic were unaccounted for earlier in the day. “Once the rain clears, they have 10 buses ready to go and get kids to reunite them with their parents,” Patrick said.

As rain continued to fall into the evening, floodwaters forced additional emergency declarations across the region. Flash flood warnings were issued for the Guadalupe River from Center Point to Sisterdale and the Llano River south of Mason. Some areas had already seen 12 inches of rain, with another 3 to 4 inches forecast. Over 400 first responders were on the ground by the weekend, performing rescues and trying to restore access to washed-out roads.

During the emergency response, state officials voiced frustration with the National Weather Service, saying rainfall estimates were too low ahead of the storm. The White House rejected any suggestion that staffing cuts at the National Weather Service played a role in the tragedy, calling the claim “disgusting.”

Still, some raised questions about whether recent budget cuts hampered forecasting efforts. The storm struck just months after Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency implemented sweeping cuts across federal agencies — including layoffs of career meteorologists. The president said Sunday there are no plans to rehire those employees.

Independent meteorologists, however, said the forecasts and warnings were as accurate as could be expected given the tools available in real time.

“The forecasting was good. The warnings were good. It’s always about getting people to receive the message,” said Chris Vagasky, a meteorologist based in Wisconsin, according to NBC News. “It appears that is one of the biggest contributors — that last mile.”

Vagasky said the overnight timing of the flooding made the disaster even harder to survive.

“Severe weather response in the middle of the night is one of the biggest challenges,” he said. “That’s when we see the most tornado fatalities and the most flooding fatalities. People are asleep. They can’t see the tornado or the water rising. Did people have their emergency alerts turned on on their phones?”

In May, more than 40% of the nation’s weather forecasting offices were operating with vacancy rates above 20%. The shortfalls led all living former National Weather Service directors to issue a joint warning letter about the risks of future staffing reductions.

“Our worst nightmare is that weather forecast offices will be so understaffed that there will be needless loss of life,” the directors wrote. “We know that’s a nightmare shared by those on the forecasting front lines — and by the people who depend on their efforts.”

When asked if he still planned to phase out FEMA, Trump replied, “That’s something we can talk about later.”

‘What Did Donald Trump Do?’: MAGA Rushes to Defend Trump with Wild Excuses As Critics Rip Him for Tone Deaf Photo During Deadly Texas Flooding

A former General Mills employee in Minnesota has filed a lawsuit accusing the food giant of racial discrimination and retaliation after he was fired earlier this year for objecting to Black History Month flyers in the workplace that he said trivialized racial violence.

L. Lee Tyus Jr., who had worked at General Mills’ St. Paul facility since 2019, said the company posted flyers in the breakroom in February 2025 titled “Fun Facts About Black History.” 

The flyers at the heart of the controversy were decorated in red, black, and green — the colors of the Pan-African flag — and included summaries of historical atrocities such as the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre and the Black Codes that restricted the rights of formerly enslaved people during Reconstruction.

A general view of the General Mills Headquarters in the Golden Valley suburb of Minneapolis on January 03, 2024 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)

The flyers had labeled deeply painful episodes of Black history as “fun facts,” which was an insult in and of itself, given the brutal and traumatic nature of what took place. 

The attack on “Black Wall Street,” for instance, was one of the deadliest acts of racial violence in U.S. history. More than 100 years ago, a white mob attacked the prosperous Black neighborhood of Greenwood in Tulsa, Oklahoma, killing an estimated 100 to 300 Black residents, destroying more than 1,000 homes, and leveling dozens of Black-owned businesses. 

The flyers struck Tyus as both tone-deaf and dehumanizing, later prompting him to file the state-level civil action, citing violations of the Minnesota Human Rights Act.

Tyus, who is Black, said he found the flyers deeply painful and offensive and questioned whether horrors and abuses against white Americans would be posted and shared in the same way. According to the complaint filed June 27 in Hennepin County District Court, Tyus approached the plant’s HR manager about his concerns, but the person didn’t take him seriously. Tyus claims he was told that flyers with horror stories about white people “would just be labeled ‘American Tragedies’” instead of fun facts.

Tyus later addressed the issue directly with both the plant manager and his team lead. The lawsuit says he explained how the flyers had caused him emotional distress, prompting him to use paid time off.

“Much like the massacre[,] I wish this didn’t happen and I could put energy into something actually ‘Fun’ or doing the work as I have for years before now,” he said in court documents.

Realizing no apology was forthcoming, Tyus submitted a formal complaint through the company’s internal ethics platform. On that same day, he was placed on involuntary leave and told to submit medical documentation if he wanted to return. 

“After learning he was being placed on an involuntary leave, Tyus Jr. responded that he was ‘being retaliated against for my beliefs and aren’t being allowed back to work which feels again like an injustice,’” the complaint states.

When his leave ended, Tyus discovered his building access had been deactivated. He was later contacted by a senior employee relations lead who, according to the complaint, encouraged him to pass along her contact information to any other employees who may have felt offended by the flyers.

With his supervisor’s approval, Tyus created a document listing the employee relations lead’s contact information and placed copies on the same breakroom tables where the original flyers had appeared. 

Less than a month later, on March 19, he was escorted out of the building and fired. General Mills cited “multiple violations of General Mills’ standards of conduct and policies,” according to the lawsuit.

Tyus’ termination came just weeks after he had received a performance review in January 2025 that described him as “on track,” attorneys said.

The lawsuit, filed by Storms Dworak LLC, claims General Mills violated the Minnesota Human Rights Act by retaliating against Tyus for reporting racially offensive materials. It seeks at least $50,000 in damages for each of three counts, along with attorney’s fees and a civil fine.

“General Mills has a national brand and a deep Minnesota footprint. In my view, that kind of presence comes with responsibility and a company of this size should be modeling what it means to support employees who speak up — not firing them,” said Tyus’ attorney Naomi Martin in a statement. “Mr. Tyus did what every employee should feel safe to do — he stood up, spoke out against what he believed was discrimination, and reported it. That took courage. And it’s exactly the kind of action the Minnesota Human Rights Act exists to protect. We brought this case because no one should face retaliation for doing the right thing.”

General Mills has declined to comment on the specifics of the case but issued a brief statement through multiple outlets: “While we do not comment on pending litigation, I can share that General Mills does not tolerate discrimination or retaliation.”

Tyus alleges that his attempts to raise legitimate concerns about the tone and framing of the material were met not with dialogue, but with punishment—first through forced leave, then with the loss of his job.

The case remains pending in Hennepin County District Court.

‘He Stood Up’: Black General Mills Worker Fired After Objecting to Flyers That Listed the Deadliest Race Massacre In American History As a ‘Fun Fact’

It’s been two and a half years since a Memphis cop gunned down Jaylin McKenzie, and the mother of the 20-year-old Black man is convinced police planted a gun near his body to support their narrative that her son had shot at the cop first.

After all, Memphis police have refused to release all the evidence in the shooting stemming from a red light infraction despite the local district attorney having already cleared the cop of wrongdoing. 

“They said it was justified and they’re not going to press charges on the officer,” said Ashley McKenzie in an exclusive interview with Atlanta Black Star.

Memphis police shot and killed 20-year-old Jaylin McKenzie, claiming he was holding an AR-15 in the top left photo and claiming that a gun was found next to him in the bottom right photo, but the gun was not visible minutes earlier in the bottom left photo. (Photos: Memphis Police Department and Ashley McKenzie)

She has a pending lawsuit against the Memphis Police Department over the shooting death of her son.

“But we’re still missing all these pieces for discovery, we’re missing the gunshot residue test, we don’t have the pictures, we don’t have the diagrams, we don’t have the recordings, we don’t have the full autopsy.”

The only evidence released to the public is a few minutes of highly redacted body camera footage from two cops, Christopher Jackson and Ericsteven Cook, the latter who arrived at the scene a couple of minutes after the shooting. 

The rookie cop who fired the shots, Nahum Dorme, was the closest to McKenzie, but claims he had forgotten to turn on his body camera. Jackson’s camera captures the sound of gunshots but not the shooting itself because he was too far away.

“What I think happened is that Officer Dorme is the shooter and Officer Jackson planted a gun, and Officer Cook is the cleaner,” she said. “He’s the one that knows how to clean the scene and makes things make sense so that they don’t get in trouble.”

There is no gun visible in Jackson’s body camera footage in the seconds after the shooting, but a gun suddenly appears next to McKenzie’s body in Cook’s footage minutes later.

“They thought that they could just cover up my baby’s murder and get away with it because we’re not from Memphis,” said Ashley McKenzie, who lives in Atlanta.

“Even Jaylin’s personal property has gone missing. They said somebody picked it up from the medical examiner’s office, but it was never signed out, so they don’t know where his stuff is.”

That personal property would include his phone, which could be potential evidence if the young man had been recording prior to being shot.

Ashley McKenzie is scheduled to go to trial before a jury in August, but said she will likely have to ask the judge to postpone the trial since her legal team has been unable to prepare for the trial due to the lack of cooperation from the Memphis Police Department.

She said the shooting has left her with post-traumatic stress disorder, where she is now visiting three different therapists to help her deal with the loss of her son, whom she described as a very spiritual person who loved music and healthy eating.

“He wanted to produce music,” she said. “He worked on that every day. He had a little studio in the garage and he would go do his music.”

“He was also a homebody. He loved to be at home. He loved being with his family. He loved his siblings.”

“I remember him telling me I was getting sick. One time he was like, ‘mom, you got to go take some black seed oil,’ so he was really into like holistic health care and things like that.”

Ashley McKenzie filed her lawsuit in December 2023 against the officers involved as well as against Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn Davis, who took over the department in April 2021 and is accused of lowering hiring standards, resulting in an increase in use-of-force complaints against the department. The lawsuit, obtained by Atlanta Black Star, states that some of the new cops had prior criminal records, and many were unable to pass basic skills and shooting exams, but were allowed to retake the exams multiple times until they passed and were hired.

Officer Dorme was hired during this period of reduced hiring standards, the claim states.

However, the city of Memphis denied these allegations in its response to the lawsuit.

Ashley McKenzie said she will soon file a new amended lawsuit with more information she has dug up since filing the initial suit.

Contradictions and Discrepancies

It took nine months of stonewalling before Shelby County District Attorney General Steve Mulroy issued a 12-page report in September 2023 justifying the shooting by claiming Dorme had acted in self-defense, the mother said.

But the report was filled with glaring contradictions.

First, Mulroy claimed Jaylin McKenzie was carrying an AR-15 while being chased, but on the body camera video, it looks like he was carrying a black piece of clothing or some kind of bag because it was flapping in the air as he was running away.

Second, the district attorney stated that McKenzie fired at the officer with a .45 caliber, prompting the officer to shoot back, claiming in his report that a total of 10 shots can be heard on the video, including a single shot followed “by a succession of nine shots” – insinuating that McKenzie had fired first.

However, only nine shots in succession can be heard on the body camera footage that was released, suggesting only the cop had fired his gun.

And third, even after McKenzie had been shot and was lying on the grass with his hands behind his head and eyes open, still breathing, neither cop made any attempt to locate the alleged gun to ensure officer safety – which is basic police protocol, as we’ve seen in so many body camera videos.

It was not until two and a half minutes later when Officer Cook arrived on the scene that a gun appeared beneath McKenzie’s body, which was within reach of McKenzie the entire time he was lying there, had he wanted to shoot the cops.

Mulroy also pointed out several discrepancies from the officers  (while ignoring his own contradictions), including how the officers provided different answers as to the location of the gun during different interviews, stating the following in his report.

Officer Dorme stated that he saw a gun next to Mr. McKenzie. Officer Jackson said in his first statement that he saw a gun next to Mr. McKenzie. However, in his second statement Officer Jackson said that he saw a gun and it was in Mr. McKenzie’s right hand. Officer Cook said in his statement that he saw a small handgun in Mr. McKenzie’s hand. He said the gun was jammed with a shell casing, He could not remember which hand it was in. The Jackson BWC shows there was no gun in Mr. McKenzie’s hand when either Officer Jackson or Officer Cook came upon Mr. McKenzie.

Mulroy also questioned why Dorme had not turned on his body camera and why commanding officers placed both cops in the back of a patrol car for two hours after the shooting, when police protocol is to separate the cops to keep them from concocting a false narrative.

Mulroy also asked why the cops even bothered to pursue the car over a red light violation in the first place.

But those questions angered the local police union, the Memphis Police Association, whose lawyer fired off an angry letter to Mulroy, informing him that nobody gets to police the police except the police.

We believe that you have overstepped your authority and bounds in your letter declining to prosecute any of the officers involved in the Jaylin McKenzie incident. It is the job of the MPD to train, supervise and evaluate police performance, not yours.

We believe you have exposed the City of Memphis and the individual police officers to unwarranted potential liability. Moreover, your letter is filled with hyperbole and speculation rather than facts.

Watch the video below.

The Alleged Guns

The incident took place on Dec. 16, 2022, while Jaylin McKenzie was visiting family in Memphis from Atlanta. 

Body camera shows Dorme and Jackson spotting a white Infiniti in a parking lot, which they claimed was “suspicious,” so they began following the car.

McKenzie was riding as a passenger in the car when the driver ran a red light in front of cops, sparking a pursuit through several city blocks before the driver of the Infiniti lost control, running over a sidewalk and into a park.

The four young Black men inside the car then took off running in different directions, but the cops focused on McKenzie, claiming he was wielding an AR-15 when it does not appear to be an AR-15 in the video because the item is flopping like a towel before he drops it on the ground and continues running.

“When you see Jaylin jump out the car, he’s holding something black in his hand, which to me looked like a bag or a fanny pack,” said Ashley McKenzie.

“They’re saying he was holding an AR, but I feel an AR would look a little heavier.”

Jackson continued chasing McKenzie after he had dropped the item, but stumbled and fell at one point, enabling Dorme to overtake him to continue the pursuit.

As Dorme runs down the block and disappears out of sight, nine gunshots can be heard – but the district attorney claims to have heard ten shots.

Officer Dorme said in his statement that Mr. McKenzie turned facing him and fired at him. He also explained that he thought he fired back three or four shots. (It is common for persons involved in shootings to underestimate the number of shots they fired.) When the shooting is over, Officer Dorme stands in the street pointing his flashlight to the area in front of the truck. He can be heard yelling, “Show me your f_cking hands!” and “shots fired!” Officer Jackson begins toward the truck. His BWC still on, Officer Jackson walks along the sidewalk to the front of the truck.

Despite claiming McKenzie had fired first, neither officers mentioned anything about a gun after they had walked up to his body lying on the ground. And no gun is visible on Jackson’s body camera footage.

Mulroy claimed in his report that the gun most likely was obscured by a dark shadow, which is visible on Jackson’s body camera, who was standing on the left side of McKenzie’s body.

Mulroy also claimed that nine shell casings were found on the scene – contradicting his earlier statement that 10 shots had been fired – but said “ballistic evidence” suggested two of those shots were fired by McKenzie.

Two of the most haunting questions in this case can only be answered provisionally: Who shot first and where was the gun? Without the BWC footage of Officer Dorme these questions will likely remain unanswered for certain. However, given the ballistics evidence suggesting that Mr. McKenzie did discharge his weapon, and the absence of any affirmative evidence contradicting Officer Dorme’s version of events, no criminal charges are warranted here. 

There is evidence that Mr. McKenzie fired at the officer. All nine casings found on the scene were tested. Two of the casings were consistent with being fired from the handgun found with or nearby Mr. McKenzie. The TBI investigation also revealed a bullet lodged in a home within Mr. McKenzie’s firing line. The bullet was removed, sent for testing but it was too damaged for comparison. 

The question of who shot first could have been recorded to provide an independent answer. Unfortunately, it was not. The conflict between the BWCs and the statements of the officers create jarring inconsistencies. Officer Dorme said it was beside him. Cook said it was in his hand. Officer Jackson first said it was beside him and later said it was in his hand. 

The first sighting of Mr. McKenzie after the shooting was recorded on Officer Jackson’s camera. No gun was in Mr. McKenzie’s hand. A long deep shadow is along the side of his body so perhaps it shielded the gun butt from Officer Jackson’s BWC. 

Missing Gun Residue Test

What is not mentioned in the district attorney’s report is any mention of a gun residue test conducted on her son, which would determine whether he fired a gun prior to being shot and killed, which is standard investigative procedure for law enforcement. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation and explained the importance of these tests on its 38-page Forensic Services Division Evidence Guide.

Ashley McKenzie, who graduated with a degree in criminal justice with plans to go into forensic science, said she had repeatedly asked for the residue test, only to be ignored.

“We had to subpoena TBI four times to get their file,” she said.

“And they made us sign an NDA (non-disclosure agreement) for a redacted TBI file that is missing a lot of documents and missing the gunshot residue test.”

“If you want to say Jaylin shot at you, why do we still not have that? That would prove everything.”

She continues fighting for justice despite the roadblocks, setbacks, and stonewalling she has faced over the past two and a half years.

Her fight for justice has led her to launch an organization called Say Their Names Monuments to honor victims of gunshot violence, especially from police, where the organization creates ”public spaces, such as memorial parks or statues, dedicated to individuals whose lives were taken.”

“It takes the people to fight the system,” she said. “That’s the only way.”

‘Planted a Gun’: Black Mom Accuses Memphis Cops of Cold-Blooded Cover-Up In Son’s Killing After Weapon Mysteriously Appears Minutes Later in Bodycam Footage

A new photo of Donald Trump next to his 27-year-old White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, has social media doing a double take, with viewers claiming she looks much older than her actual age.

On July 3, Leavitt posted an image capturing herself standing next to the 79-year-old president during a recent campaign stop, sparking an avalanche of commentary — not about policy or politics, but about her appearances and the alleged resemblance between her and Trump.

A recent photo of Donald Trump and his 27-year-old press secretary Karoline Leavitt has social media users claiming that she looks much older than her actual age. (Photo: karolineleavitt/Instagram)

The photograph, posted on Leavitt’s Instagram page, shows the administration spokeswoman staring at her boss during a presser, but what caught many’s attention wasn’t her poise or professional demeanor.

Instead, social media users found themselves fixated on what many perceived as a jarring age discrepancy in her appearance and her actual age.

The reaction in her comment section was swift and unforgiving.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by KAROLINE LEAVITT (@karolineleavitt)

“Why, do you look like that?” one Instagram user wrote bluntly, while another added, “She looks 45 years old.”

The comments continued to pour in, with one particularly harsh critic writing, “You look so much like Trump in this picture. Yay for being orange and full of wrinkles KKKaroline.”

Another observer noted, “Dang … you look like you can be one of his daughters … like the eldest one,” drawing comparisons to Trump’s older children.

Trump already has five kids, with the youngest, Barron Trump, being 19 and the oldest, Donald Trump Jr., being 47 — 20 years older than Leavitt.

Even her fashion choices weren’t spared, with one commenter joking, “You dress like an old lady. Is that how the senior hubby likes it?”

Leavitt’s meteoric rise to become the youngest White House press secretary in American history has been remarkable by any measure.

At just 27, she commands one of the most high-pressure positions in government, fielding questions from seasoned reporters and defending administration policies on a daily basis. Her political acumen and media savvy have earned her praise from Trump and conservative circles, establishing her as a formidable force in Republican politics.

However, the recent viral attention has focused less on her professional accomplishments and more on her physical transformation since entering the political spotlight. A lot of people mock her for dressing like a woman much older than she is.

A stark contrast has emerged when comparing recent official photos to images from just a few years ago, when Leavitt appeared much more in line with typical expectations for someone in their mid-20s.

Throwback photographs from 2023 tell a markedly different story.

Images from that period show a then-25-year-old Leavitt at an NBA basketball game, dressed casually in a tank top, white jeans, and sandals, with sun-kissed skin and a carefree demeanor that seemed perfectly age-appropriate. The difference between those candid moments and her current polished, formal appearance has become a source of fascination and speculation across social media platforms.

The transformation discussion has inevitably led to questions about the pressures faced by high-profile women in Trump’s political orbit, where image and presentation often receive as much scrutiny as policy positions. Some observers have speculated about possible cosmetic procedures or lifestyle changes that might account for the perceived aging, while others point to the inherent stress of working in such a demanding, high-visibility role.

Adding another layer to the public discourse is Leavitt’s personal life, particularly her marriage to a man significantly older than herself.

Her husband, who is 60 years old, has not escaped public notice. Critics and commentators have wondered aloud whether this relationship dynamic influences her personal style choices or overall presentation, though such speculation ventures into highly personal territory.

The broader conversation reflects ongoing cultural tensions about how women are perceived and judged.

While male politicians routinely age in office without extensive commentary about their appearance, women in similar positions often find themselves subjected to intense scrutiny about everything from their clothing choices to their perceived attractiveness or lack thereof.

Despite ongoing commentary about her appearance, Leavitt continues to carry out her role, though questions about her transformation are likely to persist as she remains in the spotlight within the Trump administration.

‘Why Do You Look Like That?’: New Photo of Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and Donald Trump Has Critics Claiming She Looks Half His Age

Fans of Jaden Smith were hit with a wave of nostalgia after an interview of the then 11-year-old actor on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” resurfaced.

However, the warm and fuzzy feelings quickly turned into concern after many began to see the troubling contrasts between Smith then and him now at 26 years old. The 2008 interview clip featured Smith sharing hilarious stories about growing up with two of the world’s biggest stars as parents.

Jaden Smith’s childhood interviews resurface after dad Will Smith criticized his and Jada Pinkett Smith’s parenting. (Photos: @c.syresmith/Instagram; Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images)

He recalled his father, Will Smith, joking with him about not being able to afford orange juice while working together on their 2006 movie “The Pursuit of Happyness.” He then admitted that he, along with his mother Jada Pinkett Smith and his sister, Willow, would watch his father’s classic sitcom “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” every night.

“It’s quite sad,” Jaden said, causing DeGeneres and the audience to break into laughter.

He also claimed his parents weren’t strict but required him to be polite after the host remembered when he greeted her as “Ms. Ellen” as a child.

DeGeneres then asked Will and Jada’s son about his plans for saving up to purchase his parents’ home from them. The sweet moment was quickly over when, with a straight face and sarcastic tone, Jaden told the host he was going to move his parents to a “small apartment in Texas.”

The interview clip was shared on the talk show’s TikTok on July 2 and has gained more than 640,000 views and 400 comments.

@ellendegeneres Jaden Smith’s 2008 debut on the show was absolutely adorable. #theellenshow #jadensmith #2008 #debut #willsmith #throwback ♬ original sound – Ellen DeGeneres

Fans couldn’t ignore the difference they saw between the young Smith, who was full of promise, humor, and respect for his family, versus the adult who had been in the media for his unexpected behavior.

“Such a cute throwback! Jaden’s energy was so pure and genuine back then,” said one fan.

Another follower stated, “Bro was actually Jaden Smith. Don’t know who he is now.”

“His transformation is very confusing now … what a great kid he was,” declared another follower.

This person pointed fingers at the young rapper’s parents for his dark transition. “What a shame he turned into what he is now shame on the parents.”

Several fans commented on how Smith’s comical timing and ability to maintain a straight face were early indications of his talent.

While several others simply asked, “Whatever happened to the boy, he was so adorable for sure?”

Jaden Smith has undergone a series of transformations over the years, from dying his black hair blonde and red to building a muscular physique, then slimming back down to a smaller frame.

But this wholesome video was a sharp contrast from the recent paparazzi photos and videos that captured him in Paris at 3 a.m., seated on a park bench with a friend, a lighter and a smoking device.

Will Smith's nepo baby son Jaden pictured with drug paraphernalia on park bench at 3 AM in Paris https://t.co/MoyVpOwFOc

— Daily Mail US (@Daily_MailUS) June 23, 2025

While the footage didn’t show the “Icon” rapper partaking in any activities with the paraphernalia at the time, he and his friends’ zoned-out manner has fueled speculation about his lifestyle and well-being.

Since Smith’s sudden attempt to emancipate himself at the age of 15 in hopes of having more “control” of his life, many have pointed fingers at Will and Jada, questioning their unconventional parenting style and its impact on their children. The incident followed public comments from his father about his parenting regrets, intensifying scrutiny of the Smith family.

In an episode of the U.K.’s “Heart Breakfast with Jamie Theakston and Amanda Holden” radio show, Will admitted that he had never had much control over his three children.

“We made a very, very, very terrible mistake with our children and we went with radical honesty. Don’t do it. I’m not advocating for it,” he warned.

“The Bad Boys” actor further explained, “We made a deal from like really young with our kids. The deal was if you tell the truth, you won’t get in trouble. The only way you can get in trouble in this house is if we find out you did something and you don’t tell the truth.”

Will Smith added that, ultimately, that parenting style wasn’t for the faint at heart.

“It’s a mistake … It’s terrible … They do whatever they want and they just come tell you. It’s awful. Don’t try it. You want your kids to lie. You definitely, you don’t want to know some of the stuff your kids are thinking and doing,” he joked.

‘What Happened to the Boy?’: Fans Call Out Jaden Smith’s ‘Confusing’ Transformation After Childhood Interview Resurfaces Following Dad Will Smith’s Parenting Confession

Art is subjective, but that does not make it immune to criticism. That very thought, though, placed actors Clint Eastwood and Spike Lee at odds nearly two decades ago.

The public quarrel resurfaced when author Shawn Levy released “Clint: The Man and The Movies” on July 1.

The biography looks back at the career and personal life of the four-time Oscar winner. In the book, Levy writes about Lee calling out Eastwood’s lack of Black castings in the 2006 World War II films “Letters From Iwo Jima” and “Flags of Our Fathers” depicting the U.S. Marines in the Battle of Iwo Jima.

Clint Eastwood’s comments about Spike Lee resurface. (Photos by Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic)

“There was not one Black soldier in both of those films,” remarked Lee during a 2008 Cannes Film Festival press conference. That same year, he released “Miracle at St. Anna,” a movie about an all-Black Army unit in Italy during WWII.

“Many veterans, African Americans who survived that war, are upset at Clint Eastwood. In his vision of Iwo Jima, Negro soldiers did not exist. Simple as that,” the Morehouse College alum said. 

“The Bridges of Madison County” actor took issue with the critique. “Has he ever studied the history?” Eastwood said to The Guardian in 2008. “I’m playing it the way I read it historically, and that’s the way it is… A guy like him should shut his face.”

Clint Eastwood’s Flags of Our Fathers (2006) sparked a notable feud with Spike Lee, who criticized the absence of Black Marines amid Eastwood’s focus on the Iwo Jima flag-raising. While Flags underperformed, it challenged one-sided war narratives, igniting cultural discourse. pic.twitter.com/D3tzDXiSUa

— Nyra Kraal (@NyraKraal) May 17, 2025

Lee hit back in an ABC News interview. “First of all, the man is not my father, and we’re not on a plantation either,” he began. The “Do the Right Thing” writer-director noted, “A comment like, ‘A guy like that should shut his face’—come on, Clint, come on. He sounds like an angry old man right there.”

The New York Knicks super fan addressed the matter again in 2012 during an appearance on “Sway’s Universe.” When asked about the status of his and Eastwood’s relationship, he responded, “We never had a relationship.”

He also doubled down on his comments. “If you blinked, you’d miss the one Black person that was in it. … We are never portrayed as fighting for this country. We have died fighting for this country, and Hollywood, for the most part, has ignored that,” he explained. 

A reaction to the resurfaced feud read, “Forced diversity is insulting… Instead of Blackwashing history, maybe Hollywood can create movies about African history and African myths.” Elsewhere online, someone else wrote, “Why do so many white people have so much … energy toward Spike Lee?”

A third said, “I completely agree with Spike Lee onc Clint Eastwood not having Black Soldiers doing heroic things in his 2 War Films.”

Lee said he buried the hatchet after voicing his grievances, and that rumors Steven Spielberg helped the men reach a truce were untrue.

‘We’re Not on a Plantation’: Clint Eastwood’s ‘Old Man’ Rant About Spike Lee’s Claim About Whitewashing of WWII History Resurfaces

Americans are now getting caught up in President Donald Trump’s brutal crackdown on immigrants caught in the U.S. illegally.  A Texas man, the son of a longtime U.S. Army veteran, was deported to Jamaica, despite his father’s U.S. citizenship and his birth on an American military base in Europe, according to The Austin Chronicle.

In late May, Jermaine Thomas, who told the Chronicle he was born in 1986 on a U.S. Army base in Germany, suddenly found himself in Jamaica, despite having never been to the Caribbean nation before, after he was arrested in Killeen, Texas, about an hour north of Austin. The Chronicle reported he was taken into custody on trespassing charges after he was evicted from his apartment.

He served 30 days in jail on those charges, but instead of being released after serving his time, he was transferred to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in Texas, where he said no one could tell him anything about his detainment except that “he had a very unique case.”

“You keep explaining to me that I’m being detained in suspended custody, in detention, but if I don’t have a release day and I don’t get to see a judge, that’s pretty much a life sentence,” Thomas told the Austin newspaper.

Thomas moved around a lot as a child as his father’s military career took the family to different places. After his parents, who were living back in the U.S., divorced, he struggled with his mother’s new husband and a new family. He told the Chronicle that when he was 11 years old, he went to live with his father in Florida, who by then was a U.S. citizen and retired from an 18-year military career.

His father died in 2010 from kidney disease and apparently never obtained the proper citizenship documentation for his son. Thomas moved to Texas, where he’s lived ever since.

“If you’re in the U.S. Army, and the Army deploys you somewhere, and you’ve gotta have your child over there, and your child makes a mistake after you pass away, and you put your life on the line for this country, are you going to be OK with them just kicking your child out of the country?” Thomas asked in an interview with the Chronicle.

Court documents show Thomas has no citizenship and was apparently under a previous deportation order. Immigration authorities and DHS did not respond to requests for information on his case.

It’s also unclear exactly when he was first ordered to leave the country. Court records from 2015 show a case brought against Thomas by the Department of Justice made it to the Supreme Court, which upheld a deportation order by the U.S. Court of Appeals, according to KTLA.

The high court denied a petition from Thomas asking for a review of the deportation order, noting his prior criminal history and saying in part, “his father did not meet the physical presence requirement of the statute in force at the time of Thomas’s birth.” 

Fast forward 10 years, after the arrest in Texas, Thomas was part of a group of migrants flown in late May to the Jamaican capital of Kingston, where he’s now living in a hotel.

“I’m looking out the window on the plane,” Thomas told the Chronicle of his journey to Jamaica, where he says he doesn’t know how he will find a job, and finds it hard to understand the dialect, “and I’m hoping the plane crashes and I die.”

At least one parent needs to be a U.S. citizen for a baby born at an overseas U.S. military to acquire U.S. citizenship at birth and that “parent must have been physically present in the United States for a period or periods totaling not less than 5 years, at least 2 of which were after attaining the age of 14 years,” according to U.S. immigration policy.

However, it’s unclear if Thomas’ father was a U.S. citizen at the time of his birth in Germany. His mother was reportedly a Kenyan citizen at the time of his birth. Still, his birth wasn’t registered in Germany at a U.S. Consulate.

In a statement to the Chronicle, the Department of Homeland Security said Thomas is “a violent, criminal illegal alien from Jamaica who had final orders of removal and was deported back to his home country. Thomas spent nearly two decades posing a significant threat to public safety.” 

‘Hoping the Plane Crashes and I Die’: Texas Man Born to U.S. Solider on Army Base Deported to Country He Has Never Been to After Trespassing Arrest Over Eviction

What should have been a moment of joy for American Idol winner Jamal Roberts instead became a painful lesson in how celebration can quickly turn into hostility when racial bias and resentment rear their heads in the Deep South.

Fresh off his history-making season 23 victory, where he pulled in 26 million votes — more than any other finalist in the show’s long run — the Mississippi native found himself under fire. Not for something he did wrong, according to the Clarion-Ledger, but for simply being honored by the town of Laurel in his home state. The recognition? A ceremonial key to the city.

American Idol winnder Jamal Roberts declines accepting key to the city in his hometown following Carrie Underwood controversy. (Photos officialjamalroberts/Instagram; Joy Malone/Getty Images)

For many, such a gesture would be seen as a high honor. But for Roberts, it became a source of stress, disappointment, and fear. He declined the offer after receiving threats that made it clear: even when you make your people proud, not everyone is happy to see you shine.

Roberts’ win was more than just a TV moment. The former P.E. teacher brought his full self to the “Idol” stage. He consistently gave credit to Mississippi for shaping him, and never shied away from representing where he came from.

But when news broke that he would be presented with a key to the city during the upcoming Noir & Blanc concert in August, things took a bleak turn.

The announcement, made by event organizer Drake Paige on social media, sparked immediate backlash from some Laurel residents.

Critics claimed that Roberts didn’t deserve the honor, arguing that others who had “contributed more to the community” should’ve been considered instead.

The criticisms, however, didn’t stay respectful. What started as online grumbling quickly escalated to threats — some so serious that Roberts had to publicly address the issue.

“You have people sharing the post, making threats, talking about they’ll have guns at the event,” Roberts said during a Facebook Live.

He continued, “I worked with kids before ‘American Idol,’ and it’s crazy that kids can comprehend how to behave more than grown folk. It’s a sad world we live in.”

The threats were real enough to make Roberts reconsider attending the ceremony altogether, and ultimately, he declined the key. He made it clear he never asked for the gesture in the first place.

“I did not ask for a key to the city,” he told his followers.

“Y’all should get it and give it to them, somebody that’s deserving, I guess. You know, been working in the community for years. But I don’t want it,” he said.

Roberts also replied to Paige under his announcement.

Jamal Roberts responds to why he will not be receiving the key to the city from Laurel, MS. (Facebook.com/drizzybadazz)

The contrast between the reactions in Laurel and those in Atmore, Alabama, where Roberts had recently performed, couldn’t have been more striking.

During his visit to Atmore in June, Roberts was awarded a key to that city and treated with warmth and dignity. He thanked the community in a heartfelt Facebook post, writing, “Wow, today Atmore, Alabama gave the girls and I a key to the city and embraced us and made us feel like we were at home. Thank y’all for loving on my babies and accepting me just the way I am.”

That experience made the cold reception from parts of his hometown feel even more personal. Despite the controversy, Roberts remains committed to performing at the Laurel event.

His fans have flooded his page with messages of encouragement and love.

“Wait I just got on. Who’s got my son upset? Better not be threatening my son,” one follower wrote, as another added, “They better stop them threats in Jesus name your covered sir!!”

“U can tell they dk what havin the key to the city even means,” one wrote.

Someone else said, “That’s right keep it moving! That key isn’t putting money in your pocket yeah keep it.”

The city of Laurel, located in southeastern Mississippi with a population of just under 17,000, gained national recognition through HGTV’s Home Town, according to Entertainment Now.

Roberts’ decision to turn down the key wasn’t just about safety. It was a clear message: honors without respect mean nothing.

“People just don’t expect good things to come out of Mississippi no more, and when they do, they don’t know how to handle it,” he said, reflecting on the experience.

Even after the backlash, Roberts is still holding space for his home state. He’s been in Los Angeles working on his debut single, which he plans to dedicate to Mississippi.

The controversy about Roberts’ key decline following the backlash of Carrie Underwood’s reaction to his “American Idol” win.

The 27-year-old who made history as the first Black male champion in 22 years spoke about uncomfortable dynamics during his season on the red carpet at the BET 45th Anniversary Dinner. Many accused Underwood of having an underwhelming response to Roberts’ win and showing no support after.

“I mean, I don’t think she likes every genre for real. She had her picks, and she had her (choice) of who she really liked, and she stuck with it,” he said. “We applaud her for sticking to her roots and sticking to who she liked … but I feel like the better person won.”

‘Sad World We Live In’: American Idol Winner Jamal Roberts Declines Mississippi City Key After Receiving Threats Following Carrie Underwood Controversy

Seven former Black employees at Woodgrain, Inc., a global wood products manufacturer, allege in a federal lawsuit that they were fired after complaining about racial slurs and discriminatory treatment at the company’s Aurora, Colorado, plant.

In their lawsuit filed on May 21 in U.S. District Court in Colorado (and obtained by Atlanta Black Star), the plaintiffs say that their workplace took on a racially hostile atmosphere after Idaho-based Woodgrain, which has $900 million in annual revenues, acquired Trimco Millwork in Aurora in December 2023 and brought in a new general manager, Steven Nybo.

Nybo, who is white, began talking about wanting to “change the culture” at the facility, the lawsuit says, where most of the non-management employees were Black or Hispanic. For Nybo, that meant replacing African-American employees with years of experience with white employees who had little or no experience in door and wood molding manufacturing, the plaintiffs allege.

Former Woodgrain employees Ron Lamb (left), Corey Tate (center) and Robert Simmons (right) are suing the wood products company for racial discrimination and retaliation. (Photos: Denver7.com screenshots, Woodgrain, Inc. YouTube screenshot)

While long-tenured African-American and Hispanic employees earned $20 or $21 per hour, Woodgrain paid new white employees more, the complaint says. One white man who had no prior experience in door or trim processing was hired with a starting wage of $25 per hour, prompting complaints about pay disparity among Black employees, who also alleged they were denied opportunities for promotions and that all open positions were being filled by white applicants.

Plaintiff Robert Simmons, who had worked for Trimco in a sales operation position when he left in August 2023, returned in April 2024 after Woodgrain took over to work in its door shop. Two months later, he applied for an inside sales job, but was never interviewed for the position, he claims.

Instead, Nybo hired two young white employees from outside the company with no experience in either sales or millwork, the lawsuit says, and both earned more than a Black man who had held the same position for two years, Darren Brown.

Similarly, when Brown applied for an operations manager position in mid-2024, he was never contacted for an interview, and was later told that the company had lost his application, he says.

Woodgrain then hired Jay Moore, a white man, for the operations manager position. Moore “immediately began showing contempt” for Black employees, who overheard him making statements disparaging them and expressing enthusiasm for replacing them with new employees, the complaint contends.

That included Moore allegedly telling Black employees that he “can’t wait until we get a new crew” because “you motherf—ers can’t count.”

Simmons said when he suggested hiring a Black job candidate in his department, a supervisor told him he “did not want the Black Panther Party in his office. Two was already too much, three would be the Black Panther Party,” Simmons told Denver7.com.

Then Moore shocked plaintiffs Corey Tate, Darius Wynn and Laray Smith by walking up and telling them they looked “like monkeys trying to f—k a coconut,” the lawsuit says.

Tate shot back that Moore “sounds like an Alabama slave master,” to which Moore allegedly responded, “Well, what else would I call you other than monkeys?”

The lawsuit says that the three Black employees immediately asked for a meeting with Nybo to report the blatantly racist comment and to discuss how Woodgrain would respond to it.

When they met with him a few days later, Nybo “protected Moore and attempted to rationalize his comments,” saying that Moore had used “a poor choice of words” and assuring them that the situation “had been handled.” But the company never disciplined Moore or took any remedial action in response to his comments likening his employees to monkeys, the complaint alleges.

In its answer to the complaint filed on June 25, Woodgrain admits that Moore made the unsavory comment alleged by the plaintiffs, but “specifically denies that there was any racial connotation or animus connected to the statement.”

The three Black employees escalated their concerns to human resources, resulting in a phone conversation with Tara Schiff, who did not ask them what had happened or whether they felt safe in their workplace, the lawsuit says, and reiterated that Nybo had “handled it.

The dismissive response of management about the racial slur, along with disparate and discriminatory racial treatment prompted several of the plaintiffs to draft an “open letter” to company management in December 2024 explaining that Black and Brown employees at Woodgrain in Aurora had been “treated as if we are second class citizens,” signed by 21 Black and Hispanic employees.

It detailed Moore’s racist comments and described Woodgrain’s hiring, promotion, and pay practices, resulting in Black and Hispanic employees receiving less pay and fewer promotional opportunities than white employees, the complaint says, concluding that “the toxic and biased culture … is not right and needs to be corrected.”

The “petition” was emailed to Woodgrain management and its HR department on Jan. 2, 2025.

The next day, Woodgrain’s management provided a typed letter from HR Director Michelle Bloom to all employees at the Aurora facility stating their complaint was “surprising” because “Woodgrain managers, employees, and customers find Woodgrain a good place to work,” and further stating HR would be launching an investigation.

The letter went on to say that while the investigation took place, it was strongly recommended that all Denver employees “stay focused on production work, specifically avoiding all forms of excessive or disruptive gossip that might disparage Woodgrain. Vindictive gossip and/or gossip that is meant to tarnish Woodgrain’s or any employee’s reputation is a form of workplace bullying and will not be tolerated. Failure to comply with the above could lead to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.”

The letter also encouraged all employees to “exercise caution” in reference to “a two-page letter that has been circulated to the Denver workforce,” warning that “as employees of Woodgrain, you are not permitted to defame the company” and that any employee “found to be spreading false or malicious information that harms Woodgrain or its employees may be considered to have initiated a hostile work environment.”

Then Woodgrain’s management began increasing scrutiny over the seven Black plaintiffs and other non-white employees at the Aurora plant, the lawsuit says, including by reprimanding them for listening to music while they worked, but not their white co-workers who did so.

A week after Bloom’s letter was given to employees, Woodgrain’s regional human resources manager, Melissa Stubbs, came to Aurora to interview employees who had signed the petition about their experiences with race-based disparate treatment, and also inquired about when the “monkeys f—ing a coconut” comment had taken place.

The plaintiffs allege that Woodgrain chose to have Nybo and Moore present during their interviews in order to intimidate them.

On Jan. 14, 2025, Brown wrote an email to Bloom, Stubbs, Schiff, and other managers, and copied Lamb, expressing concern about the duration of the investigation, asking if Woodgrain would be hiring an independent investigator, and if it would investigate employees’ concerns about disparate pay.

Bloom responded in an email to Brown, writing, “Productivity, good work performance and meeting customer expectations are paramount for our Woodgrain workforce. For that reason, I will recommend that you exercise discretion when copying other workers on your email. Your emails should be sent only to me so as not to disturb the productivity of the workforce.”

Three days later, Bloom held meetings with employees in every department in Aurora, including one meeting where four of the plaintiffs were present. She acknowledged there had been problems at the facility and said she’d come to Aurora to “hit the reset button” and that Woodgrain would not tolerate any further “drama” at the facility. (The defendants admit this in their answer.)

Bloom went on to say that employees who failed to get on board would be “taken care of,” the lawsuit says, and told the plaintiffs that if they left the company they were not permitted to work for any of Woodgrain’s competitors, and that they’d be hearing from the one of the company’s law firms if they did so. The defendants deny that Bloom made such statements.

Shortly after the meeting, Lamb, the most senior African-American employee in the Aurora plant with 10 years of employment, was fired by the district manager. He was not given a reason, the lawsuit says.

On January 28, plaintiff Isaac Medlock was called into the office by Moore and Nybo and informed that Woodgrain had reviewed the company trucks’ GPS tracking history and discovered that he had been driving to an unauthorized location, his home, during work hours. The lawsuit says this allegation is false and pretextual, asserting that Medlock never went home or to other unsanctioned locations during work hours.

The next day, Brown, Smith, Tate, Wynn and Simmons were brought to a conference room, where Nybo, reading from a script, told them that due to a business slowdown the company had to make budget cuts, and the five of them had been identified as low performers and were being terminated.

In reality, all five had performed satisfactorily according to positive performance reviews they had received just days earlier, the lawsuit claims. The real reason they were fired nearly simultaneously “is that they are African American and repeatedly complained of racially discriminatory treatment.”

The complaint alleges that Woodgrain violated federal and state civil rights laws by subjecting them to severe and pervasive harassment because of their race, paying them lower wages than similarly situated white employees, denying them opportunities to advance, subjecting them to increased scrutiny and then terminating them in retaliation for complaining about racial discrimination.

It also alleges that Woodgrain violated Colorado law prohibiting employers from using threats or other means of intimidation to prevent people from working at any place they choose. Such non-compete covenants are only permissible for highly compensated workers (in 2025, those earning more than $127,091 annually) to protect trade secrets, the lawsuit says.

The seven Black plaintiffs seek a jury trial to determine actual and compensatory damages for lost wages, restricted career opportunities, emotional pain, suffering, mental anguish, and loss of dignity. They also seek unspecified punitive damages.

In its answer, Woodgrain denied most of the plaintiff’s allegations, asserting that it hires employees of all races, colors and ethnicities at the Aurora plant, including Caucasian employees.

It denied that Nybo had set out to change the company culture by hiring more white employees, as alleged, and said the Aurora facility was “a low performing facility by Woodgrain standards and was subject to the same cultural improvement program (the Friedman Fundamentals Program) that all 37 of the company’s business locations participated in.”

The answer denied that Moore’s hiring was based on color, ethnicity, race or any other criteria precluded by federal, state or local laws, and denied that Moore’s “monkeys” comment was a “racist trope” or “had any racial connotation.”

Woodgrain also denied that its hiring, promotion and pay practices were discriminatory, and claimed that any employment actions taken against the plaintiffs were for “legitimate, nondiscriminatory, non-pretextual reasons.”

Woodgrain did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Atlanta Black Star. It sent a statement to Denver7.com, which said in part that “Woodgrain managers and associates are firmly committed to maintaining a professional and respectful workplace free from all forms of discrimination, harassment, and disruption.”

A scheduling conference for all parties is set for Sept. 3 at the federal courthouse in Denver before Magistrate Judge Susan Prose.

‘Like Monkeys Trying to… a Coconut’: Black Workers at Colorado Wood Company Fired After Petitioning Management About Racial Slurs and Lower Pay, Lawsuit Alleges

Donald Trump and Melania Trump’s awkward public displays of affection continue to be a source of endless fascination for Americans.

Their latest interaction during the nation’s 249th Fourth of July celebration sparked renewed social media commentary about the dynamics of their relationship. The first couple’s appearance on the White House balcony Friday evening provided yet another moment that captured the attention of observers nationwide.

President Donald Trump’s kiss to his wife, Melania has social media users zooming in on her uncomfortable facial expression.(Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

The Independence Day festivities began with President Trump hosting a picnic on the White House lawn. The day continued after the controversial signing of the Big Beautiful Bill budget package as military aircraft, including B-2 Bombers, F-22s, and F-35s, flew overhead in a dramatic display of American military might.

However, it was the evening’s more intimate moments that would ultimately steal the spotlight and generate the most discussion across social media platforms.

The 47th president attempted to pull his wife in for a kiss, and, after missing the first time, he tried again, this time landing a peck. The peck was enough to get a huge reaction from the crowd. It also got a different reaction online.

Trump gets Melania kiss on 2nd try for 4th of July fireworks

RT pic.twitter.com/oQ60cI1dLI

— Moh Musthafa Hussain (@musthafaaa) July 5, 2025

When TMZ posted it on its Instagram, the reactions were swift and unforgiving.

“She looks mortified for this once per year occurrence!” one person wrote in response to the Fourth of July video.

Another user instructed fellow observers to “Look at her facial expression tho,” highlighting the intense scrutiny placed on Melania’s demeanor during the balcony moment.

The commentary took on increasingly creative and pointed tones as more people weighed in on the Independence Day interaction. Some users offered their own interpretations of the marital dynamics.

“Kiss me or I’ll deport you!!!” one commenter wrote, pretending to speak as the president about the July Fourth kiss attempt.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by TMZ (@tmz_tv)

Another suggested, “Oh they must be talking about the phantom kiss. And the pushing away she’s doing while he’s trying to force her to stay close. That one?”

Someone else simply stated, “That’s a beautiful photo haha xD she looks disgusted haha.”

The speculation extended to financial theories about their relationship, with one X user writing, “I wonder if Melania’s negotiated appearance fees include a line that she can remain arms length distance away from Mr. Trump. And if Mr Trump holds her hand or kisses her on cheek or forehead, she get more $$$.”

“She looks uncomfortable as hell. Can’t blame her,” noted a fifth person.

The scrutiny wasn’t entirely unexpected, given the couple’s history of public interactions that have consistently generated commentary and analysis.

This pattern has persisted through major political milestones and public appearances. During the official inauguration ceremony on January 20, the newly sworn-in president leaned in to kiss his wife, only to receive what many described as an awkward air kiss as she subtly turned her head to offer her cheek instead.

Similar moments occurred during Trump’s campaign events, including a notable appearance at Madison Square Garden in October. There, awkward interactions between the presidential pair became viral content. The dynamic continued during their departure from Palm Beach to Washington, D.C., before the inauguration, where Melania’s demeanor once again became a topic of widespread discussion.

Even during rare instances of physical affection, such as when the former reality star-turned-politician slipped his arm around the first lady’s waist as they made their way to Marine One in April for Pope Francis’ funeral, the gesture immediately sparked reaction across social media platforms.

Every gesture and expression gets interpreted through the lens of political foes and those who think married couples should have more genuine affection.

The Fourth of July celebration was intended to honor America’s independence and showcase the POTUS’ leadership. However, the evening’s most memorable moments might well be that same president’s personal interactions.

While fireworks lit up the Washington sky and military aircraft aimed to demonstrate the country’s power, it was a simple kiss on a White House balcony that generated the most lasting conversation.

‘She Looks Uncomfortable’: Melania Trump’s Facial Expression Says It All as She Hesitates When Donald Trump Tries to Kiss Her

Ayesha Curry sure knows how to go viral, and her latest Instagram post has proven once again people online will make something simple explode into a megastory.

The entrepreneur and mother of four recently shared what appeared to be a casual collection of family memories, but one particular image has fans buzzing and celebrating her confidence in ways that feel both genuine and empowering.

Ayesha Curry’s family Instagram post went viral after fans spotted a bikini photo, sparking praise for the mother of four’s confidence. (Photo: Timothy Hiatt/Getty Images)

The Sweet July founder’s recent Instagram post featured a carefully curated collage of six grainy, film-style photographs that captured her family’s summer essence.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ayesha Curry (@ayeshacurry)

From candid golfing moments to intimate family snapshots, the images told the story of a family savoring their time together. However, it was the inclusion of a stunning bikini photo that transformed an ordinary family post into a viral moment, with the simple caption “Us on film” sparking thousands of enthusiastic responses.

What followed was an outpouring of admiration for the beautiful family and people noticing just how fine Ayesha is.

“Ayesha four babies where baaaaaaby you look amazing,” wrote one follower, capturing the awe that many felt seeing Curry’s post-pregnancy confidence on full display.

Another wrote, “Imagine having a beauty like that as a wife — some men have all the luck,” while another observed, “Steph is one lucky negro … like sure he got them perfect looking kids but did you see their beautiful mama.”

The playful nature of fan responses has added another layer to the conversation, with some followers teasingly asking, “Does Steph know you showing all that skin? Lawd have mercy.”

Ayesha’s journey to this level of confidence hasn’t happened overnight. The world remembers her appearance on Jada Pinkett Smith’s “Red Table Talk” in 2019, where she said she feels insecure because of how many women threw themselves at her husband throughout their relationship.

However, this seems to be changing.

Earlier this year, Ayesha’s shared beach photos from a girls trip that showcased her in various bikini poses, including some that gave fans a glimpse of her more adventurous side. Those images featured everything from beachside cocktails to Sports Illustrated-inspired poses.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ayesha Curry (@ayeshacurry)

This spring, Ayesha posted a photo of herself in a sexy gray leopard print bikini while on a yacht with friends — another moment that captured attention online.

Behind these viral moments lies a remarkable family story.

Ayesha and NBA superstar Stephen Curry have built their relationship on a foundation that began in a Charlotte church youth group, evolving into a partnership that has weathered the pressures of fame while raising four children.

Their kids – Riley Elizabeth, 13; Ryan Carson, 10; Canon W. Jack, 7; and 1–year-old baby Caius Chai – have grown up watching their parents navigate public life while maintaining strong family values and individual identities.

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A post shared by Ayesha Curry (@ayeshacurry)

The enthusiasm for the bright-eyed beauty’s content extends beyond simple admiration, with some fans already imagining future family additions.

“There’s still room for one @ayeshacurry ! #bc5,” suggested one hopeful follower, though the family appears perfectly content with their current dynamic of four children and two successful careers.

What makes Ayesha’s recent posts particularly powerful is how they represent authentic self-acceptance rather than performative confidence, though some see her bikini pic as a thirst trap.

Her willingness to share these moments speaks to a broader conversation about women reclaiming their narratives around beauty, motherhood, and sexuality. In an era where social media often feels curated to the point of artificiality, Ayesha’s approach feels refreshingly genuine.

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